Amongst the Stars
by Krimson Tears
Summary: A murder left unsolved, a past left untold. They weave together and form into many paths that all tie together to form one destiny. Everything is simply a matter of fate. But how that wheel of fate is turned, depends solely upon the actions of those connected to it.
1. Prologue

Amongst the Stars

Prologue

By: Krimson Tears

* * *

If she felt the rain as it fell upon her head and shoulders it didn't show. Her clothes were drenched, her long hair plastered in strands on her cheeks. Water from the rain fell down her face as she stood and stared at the grave stone in front of her, with the name KINOMOTO etched on it. Tomoyo had lost track of how long she'd been there… But…

She couldn't believe it, she just couldn't. She felt numb throughout the funeral but that numbness was starting to crack and filled with sorrow. It was impossible, it just had to be. She didn't want to believe it!

Sakura… was dead.

Dead.

It all seemed impossible. Why Sakura? Why her? Why…

Tomoyo's legs shook uncontrollably as she choked back tears. What was she supposed to do now? What was she supposed to tell Li-kun when he returned from China? Kero-chan had disappeared, Yukito-san… he faded away in Touya's arms after the funeral…

A week had passed sense then, but it still hadn't sunk completely in. At school Tomoyo expected Sakura to run into the class right as the teacher did.

Why had she been at the amusement park at that time of night? Why…? So many questions left unanswered. Thunder rumbled in the distance causing Tomoyo to look up to the grey clouded sky.

Nothing would ever be the same…

* * *

AN: Well I've had this idea for some time now. It's a prologue just to see if I should continue this or not. Reviews would be nice, 'cause I love reviews. I would love to know if you (reviews) think its worth continuing or not. ^^. I'm also aware its short and not very detailed.


	2. Chapter 1 - That Which Remains

Amongst the Stars

Chapter One: That which Remains

By: Krimson Tears

* * *

-7 Years Later-

"Power level 20 percent and rising,"

In a dark room where dozens of computer screens were the only source of light, several women sat and typed on holographic keyboards, visors covered their eyes. Further back in the room towards the entrance stood two men and a long haired woman. The three watched through the glass window at the end of the room and into another. Three young girls no older than 14 or 15 hung in midair entangled in thick cords and wires, one with red hair, the second with pale blue and the third with blonde.

"50 percent… 60, 70…"

The room beyond the glass window began to glow brighter, and sparks surged through the wires and cords around the three girls. Ever so slowly the girls opened their eyes while the long haired woman held up a thin tablet as numerous charts and statistics appeared on the translucent screen. The power level continued to rise, to 75, then to 80, 85 and 90.

Until one by one the computer screens flickered and shut off, then in the room where the girls hung an explosion cracked the glass and shook both rooms ever so slightly.

The two men, one with pale blonde hair grinned smugly, while the darker haired one closed his eyes and crossed his arms with a frown. The computer screens flickered back on as did the light in the other room.

"Looks like I was right again," the pale haired male said still grinning.

The darker haired male narrowed his gaze at the blonde. The long haired woman sighed as the tablet in her hands powered down and shrunk to half the size it been prior.

"I'll dock your pay," she warned and the two men stiffened and both fell silent as the she smiled at them satisfied.

"There's still the matter of funding further testing on these units, Eagle-san I trust you can figure out another method of completing an alternative power source before then?"

The blonde grinned at the woman brightly, "Yep, of course it'd help if I had that item I requested in the last budget meeting, President Daidouji."

"You've already blown the budget for your division for the next five years, due to all of your…experiments," the dark haired man cut in.

Eagle merely smiled at his remark, while the woman giggled, "I'll see what I can do," she replied.

The three left the room, and head down a brightly lit long white hallway, to the other door to the elevator that slid open as they neared it. The long haired woman placed her hand on the black pad on the wall. A blue light flashed up over her hand and back down, the doors shut and the elevator started to rise.

"So… Tomoyo-chan… do you have any plans this weekend I noticed that you asked for the weekend off,"

Lantis eyed Eagle with a cautious gaze but said nothing. Tomoyo smiled at him,

"I thought I would go home for a few days, to visit a friend."

Eagle grinned, "A male friend?"

Lantis stared straight ahead as the elevator slowly came to a stop and the doors opened to a crowded hallway. Scientist clad in white lab coats rushed from one room to another in a hurry, due to the failed experiment just moments before.

Tomoyo beamed at Eagle, "That's a secret," she said as Lantis stepped from the elevator and into the hall.

Eagle followed after him and waved to Tomoyo with a grin as the doors to the elevator closed behind them. Once the elevator started to rise again, to one floor then another Tomoyo let out a deep sigh as she pressed her back against the wall.

_Another fail… I wonder if we'll ever be able to get those girls to work… _

For the last three years or so this project had been put on hiatus due to lack of funds and the powering options available to her company. The girls were part of a robotic war unit known as Automata, and for the longest time the project had run smoothly, but now problems started to appear one after another.

Tomoyo turned her head as the white wall behind her faded into glass and the view of a large city, blue sky and cloud replaced it. Flying cars dubbed "Dragonfly" flew throughout the sky. In a matter of seven years, the world had changed so much, especially compared to her home town Tomoeda. With a smile Tomoyo placed her hand on the glass.

'I wonder how Sakura would have reacted if she could have seen this…' she thought as the elevator finally came to a halt and she stepped off and into her office.

Tomoyo's office sat at the top of "Piffle Company" a business of her own creation that branched off from her mother's toy company. While she still made toys with the always changing technological advancements, Piffle Company had started to reach out into more military work as late. The most recent being those three girls, who had created under a project, called Angel. Tomoyo stepped over to her desk and sat down on the leather chair that sat behind it.

Just as she began to lean back and relax a chipper voice broke the blissful and much needed silence.

"Tomoyo, Tomoyo. You have a missed call, would you like me to play it back for you?" a small doll like creature ran across her desk. Dressed from head to toe in a red and pink genie outfit, her hair just as pink was tied up into a pony tail that curled at the ends.

"…Is it urgent, Sumomo?" she asked as she pinched the bridge of her noise.

Sumomo tilted her head to the side as her eyes flashed as she began to analyze the message.

"…My anagram system has not detected any urgent wording, should I save the message in my database for when you return home in the evening?" Sumomo asked.

Tomoyo nodded, "Yes… also when is my next appointment for today?"

Sumomo blinked and then spun around in a circle before she answered, "An online conference with the head of development in Hong Kong in fifteen minutes."

Tomoyo sighed, "Reschedule it for me would you?"

Sumomo's eyes shined once more before she jumped up happily, "Done," she responded loudly.

"Thank you," Tomoyo smiled back at Sumomo who hopped off of the desk and ran off back to where she had come from.

Persocoms were certainly conventional but sometimes she wished she'd designed Sumomo to be a little less hyperactive. With a sigh she pulled out a small square dice that fashioned a blue button in the center. She pressed the button and the square expanded into a large holographic screen. In the background there was a picture of Sakura, herself and the rest of their friends from high school. It was the last picture they all took together before that day.

_It's been seven years… but I still expect her to just pop up somewhere and say it was just a mistake... that…_

Tomoyo frowned and tapped the holographic screen lightly and it disappeared and returned to the small cube it been just moments before. She glanced to the clock. Three o'clock on the dot, another four more hours to go.

* * *

Tomoyo didn't arrive home until much later than she originally planned, at nearly twelve she stepped through the front door of her high rise apartment and kicked her shoes off before she finally collapsed onto one of her couches in the living room.

"I think I need a vacation…" Tomoyo muttered into the pillow mostly to herself, then looked over to the small purple haired Persocom with large bells that held her hair up into two pig tails, dressed in a traditional kimono sat properly on the coffee table.

"Welcome home Tomoyo-sama, Sumomo informs me that you have a message that a waits you in the hard drive."

"myesd.." Tomoyo's muffled voice escaped from the pillow.

"Replaying message… '…Daidouji-san, this is Li Syaoran. It's been a while since we've last talked but I'm going to be in Japan next week and I wondered if you would like to meet up and catch up on old-oi Meilin!"

Tomoyo blinked and looked over to her second Persocom as familiar voices came from the girl's audio system.

"Tomoyo-san! It's been a while right. **We **were just wondering if you would like to meet up next week while were staying in japan. Call us back if you want to,"

A familiar muffled voice that belonged to Syaoran cut off as soon as the call ended. Tomoyo blinked again as the edge of her lips turned upwards and formed into a smile before she broke into a fit of laughter.

"Tomoyo-sama? Would you like to call them back?"

In between giggles Tomoyo answered, "In the morning…" her gaze drifted to the large package that had been placed near her second Persocom.

"Kotoko, what's this?" Tomoyo asked as she reached for the brown cardboard box.

Kotoko rose to her feet. "A package arrived while you were at work,"

Tomoyo lifted it off of the table as she read the address, to find that there wasn't one. She pulled the tape off and opened the box. Her eyes went wide when she found what was inside.

"…Why?" Her voice tremble as she slowly reached inside and picked up a hard bound book the edges bound in gold with red gems on each corner. A golden lion with large wings was on the front cover, chains that connected to the emblem of the sun sat below it. Above that written in gold were the ever familiar words, THE SAKURA.

Tomoyo looked back to the box, a piece of paper sat folded inside.

"Tomoyo-sama?" Kotoko's worried voice pulled Tomoyo's gaze away from the paper, "Is something the matter? I detect stress levels rising,"

Tomoyo swallowed before she answered, "Kotoko go to standby mode,"

Without question the small humanoid computer's eyes shut and she fell to the side as if she were asleep. Tomoyo looked back to the folded paper and picked it up and unfolded it.

"What the…"

It was blank, except a strange symbol at the center of the page. It resembled the star seal, but at the same time it seemed distorted. Tomoyo looked back to THE SAKURA and pulled on the winged lock. It opened easily enough, and as she opened it a single card fell from inside it.

"This is…" Tomoyo bent down and reached for the card, her hand trembled. When Sakura died…no one could find the book. It had just disappeared and the cards too. Usually Sakura kept them with her everywhere she went, but there hadn't been a single trace of them back then.

"The Hope…"

* * *

AN: Uh well there's the first chapter. It isn't as detailed as I would like but it'll do for now. Well...I hope you like it, I'm incorporating a lot of the other series CLAMP has done in this as well. Cause I wanted to try it really. Also as well as the anime and manga tied together. So _ if it gets confusing please let me know, that way I can work better to make it tie together better. I'm also aware that it may not be entirely correct. If you seem something strange or just shouldn't be there that I may have missed please tell me.


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